MyBakersBox Teaser

What kind of a person would I be if I didn't share a sneak peak of My Bakers Box?? The awesome staff at My Bakers Box sent this box for me to review, and to share with all of you my thoughts and photos. I'm on the fence of whether or not I want to review it completely right now, or wait until I've ventured into my kitchen to whip up as much as I can with everything in their box, including a recipe for favorite sugar cookies. So I decided to at least pop in and give you a sneak peak of their April box.

My Bakers Box is a new monthly subscription box for $25.00/month, that automatically renews itself, and delivers carefully curated baking items shipped on the 1st of each month. With my careful nagging I take credit for them now shipping to Canada (even if it has nothing to do with me, its my blog, I'll pretend if I want to, don't throw me off my unicorn). With shipping, the box comes out to $35.00/month and includes tracking. You do get a discount for subscribing for their three or 6 month options on the price of the box, so that's always a bonus.

Everything from their website, Facebook page right down to their customer service is notable. They're adorably friendly, and shipping was super fast. I was given my tracking number on the 17th, and it arrived today, the 25th. Considering this box comes from California, I was really impressed.

If you haven't already checked them out, go hit "Like" on their Fb page and say Hi, tell them Lola sent you, and check back here soon for the final results from all of this box's Easter goodies!

Stamping Part 2, A Pictogram.

The life and death of Stamping

"Try Stamping" they said. "It'll be fun" they said. THEY LIE. I'm a hardcore nail-art fan, and have always done my nail art free-hand. Sometimes it looks like a piece of art, sometimes it looks like a piece of fart. I decided to try my hand in stamping because so many girls I know are completely addicted to it. I figured, how hard can it be? slap some polish on a plate, scrape, stamp, transfer. My dogs could do this blind folded.

I started off picking up this "As Seen on TV" stamping kit at the dollar store for $3.00, because seeing as how I've never done this, I figured I'm not going to invest in something I have no idea what I'm doing with. It came with all the tools I needed, and 5 stamping plates to chose from. 

Since I'm still sporting last week's mani, and it is perfectly in tact, I decided to stamp onto my accent nail and preserve my most beautiful color, Rae. I thought it would look adorable to zebra print onto my nail. So I picked a color and set out. Slathered on the polish, scrape.

Um. Yea that's about as far as I got. Why? Because the dang scraper scraped off all the polish from my plate repeatedly every time I tried, and I got very upset that I was wasting so much polish. 

So that was that. I gave up. What also discouraged me was the 0-3yrs old label. That lead me to believe that any child or adult over the age of 3 should be able to figure this crap out. I'm 36. Do the math.

I'll be returning to my normal free-hand nail art and giving this little bobble of displeasure to the first person who manifests interest.

**EDIT**

A brilliant and awesome reader, Amberley, pointed out there is a protective film on the stamping plates. The logic behind it escapes me, but there is, indeed, after much picking and prying, a film over the plates. Something that would be awesome had they included that part in the instruction sheet they included. With my luck, it was included and I missed it. I swear, I'm not a ditz. This NEVER happens to me. 

**EDIT Part 2**

I'll try my hand at this ONE.MORE.TIME for Amberley tonight and let you all know how this goes. Wish me luck.

Lola & Zeus & Bugsy's Box

This morning after Zeus chased the taxi driving package delivery man off our property we were able to open up our first Bugsy's Box for the fur babies. Yes, because dogs deserve their own sub boxes too!!!

Bugsy's Box is a monthly subscription box based in the U.S. for $19 per month. You have the option of monthly, 3-month or yearly subscriptions. The bonus part about Bugsy's box in comparison to other boxes is that shipping is absolutely FREE. Anyone who knows me, knows how much I covet the word FREE. 

 

The first thing you see when you open the box is a comprehensive product sheet with a welcome message. I thought that was so cute and really appreciated being able to know about the products they've curated for the March box. They also hold a monthly Instagram Contest and Facebook Contest, all you have to do is upload a photo of your pet with their box and voila. 

I wasn't able to snap a photo of the box before Zeus HAD to stick his fat head into the box to see what's up. He immediately claimed the Water Bottle Farm Buddy Toy and ran off with it.

The blur you see is actually him wagging his tail so fast his whole body was wagging. He is definitely a happy puppy this morning.  I know you must be thinking, "Puppy?" but yes, Zeus is a 6.5 month old Cane Corso. He is gigantic. Like a baby moose. I'm really excited about this toy because of the fact that the main content is a water bottle. Since we drink all our water from water bottles, this helps me feel a little less guilty about all the carbon footprints we leave by using these.

Once Zeus took off with the farm buddy, it was Lola's turn to sniff around. Naturally she found the Grill-icious Chicken treats.

Don't mind Lola's eyebrows, she forgot to wash her face after this weekend's selfie photoshoot. Lola is our 3yr old Chihuahua rescued from the pound. She LOVES the Grill-icious Chicken Treats.

These chicken treats are 100% all-natural chicken treats. They are soy, wheat, gluten, corn, and grain free with no additives or preservatives.

Zeus approves of them too ;)

After letting the pups sniff around the box, I continued un-boxing and taking a look at what was inside. I found a small bottle which caught my eye, and wondered what it was. Turns out it was PetzLife Oral Care Spray. What a God send. It is to help remove plaque and tartar from dogs mouths and help their breath smell scrumptious. Lola definitely needs this because she has breath that could make an Ogre tear up.

I pulled out the last two items in the box and after reading the ingredients I've decided that they are almost good enough for me to try them personally. But I wont. No really, don't worry. I promise I won't eat my dogs treats. 

Bare Bites Liver Treats (Ok maybe I wont try these afterall) are 100% natural beef liver jerky. No chemicals, no additives, no preservatives just plain ol' liver. A dog's favorite treat.

Last but not least, Vermont made Wagatha's Treats (These, could be consumed by a human, no joke.)

Organic dog biscuits using human grade certified organic ingredients. Ingredients include white cheddar cheese, rosemary oil, whole oat flour and much more. The flavor of these is Tuscan Pizza. Tell me you're not curious to know what these taste like!!??!! 

So what's my first impression of Bugsy's box? Well, aside from the fact that having two dogs and only 1 toy in the box this month (no big deal really) I think this box is absolutely amazing. I initially was only going to subscribe for one month to see what all the hype was about but now that I know, I've decided my fur-babies are worth it. Did I mention FREE SHIPPING?

**Don't forget to sign up for their e-mail updates and cash in on their current $10 off promo!!!

Little Life Box Review

Hi! I am a guest blogger for Lola here to give my review of Little Life Box. This was my first box so I wasn't too sure what to expect. First off, the price of this box is $19.99 plus $3.00 shipping per month or you can get it for a little bit less if you pay for more months at a time. This is the box that I received....

and underneath the pretty wrapping....

This items I received are as follows:

EcoTools EcoPouf Mini Bath Sponge
Montagne Jeunesse Manuka Honey Peel Off Face Masque
Orange Naturals D3 Drops
Q Energy Drink
Lotus Aroma Bath & Shower Gel
Land Art ChlOralfa Breath Freshener
Vanilla Raw Vegan Protein by SunWarrior
Coconut Macadamia Protein Bliss by Bounce Foods
3 Teas Jasmine with Flowers Green
Enerex Greens Gluen-Free Mixed Berries
Free for All Kitchen Gluten Free Crackers
Teechino Organic Herbal Coffee

I have to say that I am very pleased with this box! Lots of goodies! I can't wait to get my next box in April! 

Happy Spring from Lola & Ben

Loose Button Spring 2014

Imagine the weirdness of the doorbell ringing at 8 am, and this plain clothes man showing up in a taxi to deliver me a package. Thank God my husband was the one to answer the door, because that's just all kinds of bizarre. Welcome to country life I suppose!

So what came via strange man was my Spring 2014 Loose Button Luxe Box. I'm a few days behind others who've received theirs, and seeing as how this was my first box, I was really nervous to see what kind of surprises I had in store. Out of about 15 women I saw post, there was maybe 3 or 4 of them who were happy with their box this month. That's not good. Some ordered the Prada add-on and didn't receive it, some never got the option to upgrade their boxes. Some felt their boxes were skimpy and full of low end product samples. So I guess my box could go either way, right? I'll either be pleasantly surprised, or highly disappointed. The little kid in me really couldn't possibly be disappointed by anything that comes in the mail, since I get excited over coupons, so it would take a lot to bring this girl down. However, the adult in me has high expectations of receiving quality for her money. After all, this box comes up to $29.00. The last thing I want is to open it up and find product samples I can pick up at Dollarama or send away for, free.

 

The first thing you receive is a cute brown box with the Loose Button web address printed on the side. Once you open that box, you'll find, another box. A really nice box. Definitely a box you keep to gift at Christmas or any other event that you could need a box for. Inside that box is a mesh bag, with the logo on it. Another re-usable item which, if you're a greenie or a box/bag hoarder like me, is awesome.

When I opened the bag my first concern was "Did I get the Prada add-on?" because hubster was breathing down my neck waiting for it, and after I saw a few girls didn't get theirs, I hoped I was luckier. 

Success! Good sign! Happy hubster. Even better, it smells yummy. Hubster usually wears Dolce Gabanna Light Blue, but he's running low these days, so this itty bitty sample should hold him over for a month or three if he uses it sparingly.

Two brand names I've heard of a lot, but never tried before (because when you're a stay-at-home-mom who wears yoga pants 7 days a week, do you really need the BEST products? You're just happy you don't have baby spit-up in your hair and you got in a couple of showers this week) These were a pleasant surprise. Now that my kids are older I've got a lot of free time to spend on myself, and take better care of myself. That also means I can be more choosy about what I use on my body/face. I keep receiving these HD face primers in my boxes, and since I have rosacea, they just don't work with my skin, but, you know I'll try out the Stila anyways. I'm also looking forward to trying out the Kiehl's Facial Moisturizer. The only off-putting thing about the Kiehl's is the print above their logo "With our compliments". That immediately translates to "free sample" to me. Free samples have no value in my brain, so I'm slightly disappointed at the size of this bottle. Luxe Box is suppose to offer "Premium sized samples". Right there, the "With our compliments" completely negates the "premium" aspect. 

What the hell is this? A headband/sweat band by Titika.ca. Or as I like to call it, a giant hair tie because with my level of inactivity, no sweat ever pours off this body. It has a reflective logo on it, my guess, for joggers to have a little extra visibility when running at night. However it is SO small, I am not sure of the effectiveness. The fabric it is made of kind of feels like a swim suit or under armor, so I can't imagine this would stay put in your hair if you're bouncing around showing off your tight ass and muscular calves running past my house as I sit outside sipping my coffee hating your fit body and hoping you get a leg cramp.

If you know me, you know I'm a nail polish addict, and have quickly taken over my bathroom with a giant polish rack to display my collection, so this adorable nail lacquer from Teeez in Cadmium Rush has me totally giddy. Of course, yesterday I pledged my undying love to Rae, Julep's Color of the Year 2014, however, I think that this little Teeez is bomb and will make an excellent pedicure while I covet Rae.

Fekkai is a brand I have never heard of, but apparently they manufacture Shampoo. I have zero interest in this Luxe Box goodie, because at 36 yrs old, you know I've already got my regular shampoo, and I dig my heels in, for anyone who attempts to get me to change or try something new. Luckily I've got a girlfriend who will be tickled pink when I send this out to her this week. 

Xyla Mints. In a beauty box. Mints are cool to have in your purse but I'm sorry, they are NOT a "beauty necessity". Fresh breath is personal hygiene, and frankly receiving mints in a $30.00 box is a kick in the teeth. I'm insulted. I'm sure they're delish, and probably trying to get their brand name out there, however, there are MANY snack boxes that would covet these and make THEIR subscribers happy to receive them. I'm completely puzzled as to who curated these for the Spring Luxe Box. 

Was this box full of products that make the $30 price tag worth it? No. However, after seeing all the upgrade boxes (upgrades were between 5-7$) I fully intend on maintaining my subscription, and you can bet your ass, come summer I'll be kicking and screaming my way to the front of the line to make sure I get a kick-ass upgrade, because when it comes to Luxe Box, THAT is where the quality lays.

Pantone's Color of the Year 2014

How excited am I?? Well Julep's version of the 2014 Pantone color of the year is named Rae. She's a rich creamy mauve, and her name, well, for anyone who knows me, knows no matter what color she was, would be MY favorite color for 2014.

I know I'm late with my Monday Mani, I have no other excuse other than pure laziness, so without further adieu, my Tuesday Tizzy: Rae with Julep's Rock Candy Nail Glaze on the accent nail in Marie. I may just have to buy 12 more bottles of Rae and make this my signature color for the year. After all, I already feel like she was made Just.For.Me.

Julep's Rae - Pantone's 2014 Color of the Year

Monday Mani - Julep's Spring Colors

With Julep's Spring Collection out, I was excited for this week's manicure. It was REALLY hard to pick which colors and what design I wanted, because I really did love all of the colors I received in my It Girl box this month. I settled with Margaret and Princess Grace. Two adorable creme colors. Princess Grace is a Papaya color that just pops right out at you, and Margaret, which I used for my tips, is a rich Periwinkle. I think they match up really nicely together, Julep definitely got them right when they decided to put them together in the same box. I used a glitter strip on three fingers, not because I wanted glitter, but merely because I found my freehand edging to be shoddy.

 Lizanne was also in my box, but I am not really a fan of it right now, I'm sure it will grow on me. Lizanne is a sea green shimmer. I'm not sure why but lately I've been loving cremes. Maybe I'm over the whole glitter polish craze. I know, Sacrilege!! Shimmers and Glitters and Holographics are so popular right now, and I myself have a fair collection.

All in all, I'm pretty happy with my mani, and these colors are so nice, they barely even need a top coat. I added one though, just because I'm on the computer all the time. I needed that extra cushion to make sure my mani lasts until next week's surprise ;) I'm hoping my Boho Glam box arrives because there are more cute spring colors in that box that I'd like to use.

Stay beautiful xox

Loose Button Luxe Box

Spring is on its way, and so are the Luxe Boxes from Toronto based Canadian company,  Loose Button. Personally I cannot wait. This box is definitely on the higher end of quarterly subscription boxes, when you consider the brands featured each season. This will be my first box, and I've done some research to find out what I might expect in the next couple of weeks when my box arrives.

This spring the featured brands are Prada, Stila, Captain Blankenship and Khiel's. I'm sure there might be more but those are the ones listed on their website. If you check out their Facebook page you'll see they've revealed two products to their fans and subscribers over the past month or so.

Captain Blankenship's Mermaid  Sea Salt Spray

Sothys Mineral Powder Eye Liner

There were four upgrade options this season for the Luxe Box, however by the time I got in line to chose mine, the only one left was the free upgrade. Sure it's cool because it's free, but I can only guess that the reason why it's free is because its a deluxe sample of Men's Prada Luna Rossa. It figures, the first time anything Prada comes into my house is going to be for my unsuspecting husband. He wouldn't understand the heartbreak if I tried to explain it to him. Not that he's a bad person but he's more of the sniff your T-shirt and if it doesn't make you gag it's good kinda man. A man's man. So Prada is most definitely going to be wasted on him, unless by some miracle it is really a scent he loves. The other Upgrade options were Natural Glow, Red Carpet, and Sothys, at a cost of $5.00-7.00 each. You can only chose one, and the upgrade replaces the contents of your original box. Except for my upgrade, that's an add-in.

Here are what the upgrades look like:

Natural Glow Edition ($5.00 upgrade, value of $104.00)

What's inside?

• Jane’s Pick | “Kind” All Natural Soap (30 mL)
• Captain Blankenship | Mermaid Sea Salt Hair Spray (30 mL)
• Crawford Street | Super Moisturizing Mint-Vanilla Lip Balm (Full Size)
• Sothys | Mineral Powder Eyeliner in “Noir Strassé” (Full Size)
• Miracle 10 | Sunscreen Lotion SPF 30 (50 mL)
• Be a Bombshell | Blush in “Tanorexic” (Full Size)
• Titika | Headband (Full Size)

Red Carpet Edition ($7.00 Upgrade, value of $150.00)

What's inside?

• Prada | Prada L'Eau Ambrée Eau de Parfum Rollerball (10 mL)
• Miracle 10 | Moisture (30 mL)
• Teeez | Easy On The Eyes Eye Pencil in “Black De Luxe” (Full Size)
• Teeez | Paradise Perfect Lip Gloss in “Sheer Gold” (Full Size)
• Teeez | Nail Polish in “Candy Buzz” (Full Size)
• Bare Love Beauty | Bare Love Body Daily Recovery Treatment (30 mL)
• Loose Button | Black Opaque Tights (1 Pair)

Sothy's Product Add-On ($7.00 Add-On, value of $27.00)

What's inside?

• Sothys | Radiance Gloss in “Prune” (7.5 mL - Full Size)

• 7 to 8 of your customized Spring Beauty Discoveries

Prada Luna Rossa Add-On (Free, value not listed)

What's inside?

• Prada | Luna Rossa Eau de Toilette (9 mL - Deluxe Size Sample)

• 7 to 8 of your customized Spring Beauty Discoveries

Inquiring minds want to know, Did you order yours? Stay tuned for my review in a couple of weeks when my precious box arrives. 

Julep March Maven - It Girl Review

Before I start, let me just get something off my chest. Julep has great nail polish and you can snag fantastic deals when the mood hits you. Their Maven boxes generally (And I use the term loosely) ship fairly quickly, and this month, it was lightning speed. Score one for Julep. ONE. My rant stems from an order I place in JANUARY. 2 polishes, nothing fancy. I probably could have got both off a swap board and had them in my possession the following week. My only issue with that was at the time I wasn't in a swap group for Canadians, so no one would ever ship to Canada. After much frustration and FIVE weeks of waiting, countless phone calls, e-mails, and stalking the tracking number, my two piddly polishes arrived today along with my Maven box. Lets put this into perspective. One box ships January 22nd, and the other March 3rd. BOTH arrive March 6th. WHAT? Anyways with that said, I'm on the fence about how I feel right now and justifiably so.

Lets get down to business.

If you aren't familiar with Julep, it is a monthly subscription box shipped directly to your door for the low low price of $19.99 and offers free shipping to Canada and the U.S. When you first sign up you're asked to fill out a beauty style survey, to help determine which category of Maven's you fall under. The fun thing is that your first box is absolutely free when you sign up using the discount code FREECOLOR. Try it, here. You wont  be disappointed. You get approximately $40.00 worth of products monthly.

My Maven profile is It Girl, simply because I like receiving 3 polishes from their monthly collections, instead of 2 polishes and a product with the other Maven profiles. This month, I was privy to Lizanne, a Sea Green shimmer, Margaret, a light Periwinkle creme, and Princess Grace, a rich Papaya creme. I chose to add on Monaco, a Mariner Blue creme, because it was listed as Pantone 2014 color of Spring. 

This month's box also came with an Old Fashioned Candy Stick. I love candy so I was tickled. It didn't even matter to me that it was broken into 8000 pieces. 

Here's a closer view of the colors I received:

I think they're really cute for spring, and I can't wait to try them on. Perhaps next week's Monday Mani will feature one, or all of these little pretties.

For those curious, my January order was America and Fireworks. If you take the two boxes, and compare the time and care put into each one, hands down, Julep is impressive for their Maven boxes, but they SUCK at other orders. My month late polishes arrived like this:

They were in a filthy sleeve, but I dared not photograph it. As you can see, one company, two completely different levels of service.